Some tidbits

– Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post says the A’s have revived trade talks with the Nationals for first baseman Nick Johnson. Sheinin brings up Daric Barton, saying the Nats are looking for a young first baseman in exchange. We know the A’s examined Johnson’s medical records in November, but this move wouldn’t do anything to help the logjam at 1B/DH.

– Check this out. Paul Sullivan, a TV producer/filmmaker/comedian/baseball nut, studied all 30 MLB teams and came up with an All-Time Homegrown Team and All-Time Acquired Players Team for every franchise (with so many job descriptions, how did he find time to do this?). Anyway, you can read the A’s lists here. There are some curious calls, like shoe-horning Vida Blue into the bullpen on the homegrown team (justifying it with Blue’s clutch relief in the postseason). But hat’s off to the guy for undertaking this, and there’s some entertaining commentary.

– Did you notice Kirk Saarloos signed a minor league deal with the Indians? Don’t underestimate the loss of him and lefty Lenny DiNardo (who signed w/the Royals) for the A’s this season. Their rotation is probably going to be very young, and Saarloos and DiNardo were the type of swing guys who provided nice insurance however needed.

– Along those lines, with the A’s in need of some veteran pitching, remember former Athletic Mark Mulder is still out there. A huge injury risk, for sure. But he couldn’t command much in salary (a minor-league deal seems most likely), so it would be a low-risk gamble. Mulder hasn’t pitched a full season since 2005 because of left shoulder problems. He has yet to work out for scouts this winter.

– Former A’s first baseman Dan Johnson signed a one-year, $1.2 million deal with the Yokohama BayStars of Japan’s Central League.